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Remembered Today:

Cemetery postcards


AliceF

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"Dear Mrs Prestel,

After some time of silence I have now the time to send you a sign of life. This is the cemetery where your dear husband my best comrade Albert rests. Best regards from xxx

 

I am currently in a military hospital"

 

[„Werthe [?] Frau Prestel

Nach längerem Schweigen

komme ich nun wieder

dazu dir ein Lebenszeichen

zu geben. Dies ist der Fried-

hof, wo dein lieber Mann

mein bester Kamerad

Albert ruht. Viele Grüße von

Xxx

 

Bin z.[ur] Z[ei]t. im Lazarett.

 

Abs. Uffz. Will

Kriegslazarett

Montigny b. Lens [?]

xxx A.K. 6. Armee”]

 

There is an Adalbert (not Albert) Prestel from Seehausen in the Verlustenliste, died of wounds 9.9.1915 : http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1539779

Adalbert Prestel is buried today in St.-Laurent-Blangy according to this

http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/detailansicht.html?tx_igverlustsuche_pi2[gid]=6eb5e314501bfc62bf5953f2747a7b82&cHash=a78334dbc44e650df747ec37dc72238d

Christine

Source of the card: http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,242995603,var,FRESNES-LES-MONTAUBAN-INAUGURATION-DU-MONUMENT-DU-CIMETIERE-ALLEMAND-CARTE-ALLEMANDE-MULTIVUES,language,E.html

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26/08/16

Dearest father!

To get some comfort and joy, dearest father, I write to you some lines.

In this military cemetery is also Josef Zeitler [?] from Pondorf [?] buried

Hopefully xxx father you are still healthy, which is still the case with me until today.

See you

Best regards your faithful son

Franz

Best regards also to xxx xxx xxx

Text on front: Zeitler's grave is xxx xxx xxx

„Im Felde den 26.8.16

Liebster Vater! Um wieder

mehr Trost [?] und Freude zu erhalten [?]

muss ich Dir liebster Vater

wieder einige Zeilen senden.

Hier auf dieser Karte in dem

Soldatenfriedhof ist auch Zeitler Josef [?]

von Pondorf [?] begraben. Hoffentlich

xxx Vater bist du noch gesund

was bei mir bis heute auch

noch der Fall ist. Auf Wiedersehen

Grüßt dich dein treuer Sohn

Franz

Auch liebe Grüße an xxx xxx xxx“

 

Text on front: „Zeitler sein Grab ist xxx xxx xxx“

 

Joseph Zeitler, Pondorf, LIR 10, 3. Komp.: died 24.4.1916 http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/3478509

 

Buried in Lagarde, Kameradengrab:

http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/detailansicht.html?tx_igverlustsuche_pi2%5Bgid%5D=a299a947dd4ac2d20eaeb7fa6e53fd21&cHash=0fc4661fff984b8520b4b58d330935e8

                                          

On Delcampe one could also see a handwritten note with two other names. One I could identify as

Michael Johann Guthmann, Wehrmann: 25.01.1916, Lagarde, Grab 42 (not 44 as the note says)

http://www.volksbund.de/graebersuche/detailansicht.html?tx_igverlustsuche_pi2%5Bgid%5D=410b17a44c6c4d5cd76bb5f76c13a166&cHash=b42b1cbc48a548664f50813346612820

Verlustenliste from 14.2.1916: Michael Guthmann, LIR 10, 10. Komp.: http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1000893

Christine

Source of the card:

http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,263040433,var,LAGARDE-F--19141918--Duitse-begraafplaats-Cimetiere-Allemand,language,E.html

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A card from 1918, when cemetery motives are not as usual any more as in the first years of the war. Not sure if I got it all right, but I hope the content is understandable:

 

9.9.1918

My dear wife,

Have not received any mail for quite a while. It seems to me that there is a stop of all mail [Postsperre]. One is cut off from the family xxx a crime. There are only few days leave per year and the only thing left – the mail – they also block off. One has to take part in this gypsy life now for the fifth year. It is a shame for our culture.

With the hope that you [receive?] this card xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxx.

Xxxxx Many kisses your dear Mxxx

 

 

„Den 9.9.1918

Mein liebes Frauchen[?]!

Habe schon eine ganze Zeit keine

Post erhalten. Mir scheint [es?] ist

wieder mal Postsperre. Man ist

abgesperrt von seinen Angehörigen […?]

ein Verbrechen. Urlaub gibt es kaum

im Jahr paar Tage und das einzigste

die Post sperren sie auch noch ab.

Dieses Zigeunerleben muß man nun

schon das fünfte Jahr mitmachen.

Es ist eine Schmach auf unsere heutige

Kultur.

Mit der

Hoffnung

das dich

diese Karte …..

…………………………….. Küsst herzlichst dein

lieber Mxxx“

 

Abs. M. Tamme San. Komp 30 xxx Fpost 821

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: https://www.delcampe.de/de/sammlerobjekte/ansichtskarten/militaria-soldatenfriedhoefen/postcard-1918-erster-weltkrieg-frankreich-friedhof-soldatenfriedhof-kreuze-220292552.html

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Dear Marie,

I inform you that I sent a large parcel with dirty laundry yesterday. So far I am all right, hopefully you, too. Best regards. Letter will follow. Sends xxx

 

Sender: xxx Claußen, 2. Landw. [?] 104, Feldpost 57“

Sent to Marie Claußner, Klaffenbach near Chemnitz

 

„d. 9.3.16

Liebe Marie

Teile dir mit das ich gestern

ein großes Paket mit

schmutziger Wäsche abge-

schickt habe. Soweit geht

es mir gut was ich von

Euch auch hoffe. Beste Grüße.

Brief folgt. Sendet xxx

 

Abs. ? Claußner

2. Landw. [???] 104

Feldpost 57“

 

Christine

 

Source of the card:

https://www.delcampe.de/de/sammlerobjekte/ansichtskarten/frankreich-commercy/original-postcard-ak-buxieres-der-soldatenfriedhof-guerre-mondial-i-erster-weltkrieg-1916-93984694.html

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  • 2 weeks later...

“Argonnen, 29th of April [1915]

Dear Mister and Miss Trautmann

Here I inform you that I received your lovely gifts today and want to say many thanks to you and your family with this card, otherwise I am still healthy with my comrades which I hope for you and your dear family as well.

With regards Otto H.

See you at home

Sender Gefr. Hoffmann 8. K [?] LIR 27 16 R [?]“

 

„Argonnen, d. 29/4

Geehrter Herr und Fräulein Trautmann,

Teile Ihnen ergebens [?]

mit, dass ich heute in

Besitz Ihrer lieben Gaben

gekommen bin und

sage Ihnen und Ihrer

werten Familie meinen

besten Dank, durch diese

Karte, bin sonst noch gesund

mit meinen Kammeraden

welches ich von Ihnen u.

Ihrer Familie auch

hoffe. Mit Gruß Ihr Otto H.

Auf Wiedersehen in der Heimat

 

Absdr.: Gefr. Hoffmann 8. K [?] LIR 27 16 R [?]“

 

Christine

Source of the card: http://www.delcampe.de/page/item/id,252839847,var,Bildpostkarte-1915-Ein-einsames-Grab-im-Argonnenwald-KDFeldpostamt-des-XVI-Armeekorps-II-Landwehr-Bat-Inf-27,language,G.html

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AliceF,

 

I cannot tell you just how much I appreciate your very detailed posts and your transcripts and translations, which I always look into! My official academic work involves doing something similar with Latin (and sometimes Greek!) inscriptions, a tough thing sometimes. But reading Latin and Greek military inscriptions is (relatively!) straightforward for me, as is reading German academic papers, ganz einfach, really. But to be able to actually read all this kurrent schrift and make sense of it, and post those transcripts and translations, well, I am awed! So much effort, and so illuminating to see the writing, the transcript and the translation! I doubt very much that I am alone in being really thankful for what you do! So, probably a hobby for you, yes, but really many thanks for all you posts

 

Julian

 

  

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Thank you for your kind words, Julian!

Well, I guess this is some kind of odd interest/hobby, but there are two things that are driving me. One is the fascination of what I experience as a discrepancy between text and view (but I am sure that this was not experienced as such by the writers or the receivers of these cards). The other fact is that I have a couple of family letters (post WW2) written in Sutterlin, which I could not read (have not tried again, but will eventually when I feel ready for it).

I am always fascinated about how you and others manage to interpret photographs of uniforms, medals, weapons etc.! Just amazing! I will never get this.

Christine

P.S. Thought about your comparison with ancient Greek, learnt that at school. Can still read it, but after 30 years without any practice, I cannot understand a single word anymore. But at school of course you deal with nicely printed text, no inscriptions or handwriting!

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“Written, the 4th of August 17

 Dear Brother!

How did you arrive, hopefully well, how did you spent the rest of the leave.

I have somewhat settled back in, but still it was better at home.

Otherwise I am still all right, which I hope for you, too.

With best regards your brother Kurt

See you.

 

Sender Unteroff. Kurt Ludwig

Füs. Rgt. 36 II Bat. 7. Komp”

 

„Geschrieben, d. 4.8.17

Lieber Bruder!

Wie bist du angekommen

hoffentlich gut, wie hast

du den Urlaub noch hin-

gebracht. Ich bin so einiger-

maßen wieder eingelebt

aber zuhause war es doch

besser. Sonst geht es mir

noch gut, was ich auch von

dir hoffe. Mit herzlichen

Grüßen Dein Bruder Kurt

 

Auf Wiedersehen“

 

Kurt Ludwig was listed as missing on the Verlustenliste of the 14th December 1918.

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/9312151

Found him on the ICRC list with no further information. (Card stamped on the back with January 1919, do not know what this means)

 

Albert Ludwig: I did not find on any list (at least not with that unit or the same place name as Kurt).

 

Does anybody know which cemetery is shown on the card?

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: https://www.delcampe.de/de/sammlerobjekte/ansichtskarten/militaria-soldatenfriedhoefen/soldatenfriedhof-des-fuesilier-regt-36-in-frankreich-1917-412342398.html

 

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“Written 24th of August 1915

Dear little daughter Maria,

I have received your dear card with the plane and the one about the trip to the Dechen cave and I was very glad about it. In your holidays you are now at your grandmother’s place. Therefore I want to advise you to be xxx well-behaved and not to forget your school work and […..]”

 

 

„Geschrieben den 24. Aug. 1915

Liebes Töchterchen Maria

Eure liebe Karte mit dem Flieger

und die von dem

Ausflug zur Dechenhöhle habe ich

erhalten und mich sehr dar-

über gefreut. Ihr seid jetzt

in den Ferien bei der

Omma und da möchte

ich Euch ermahnen xxx

artig zu sein und auch

die Schularbeiten nicht

vergessen und tüchtig […..]

… …. …

 

Abs.: Wehrm: Kon Grunewald [?]

4/Batterie Res. Feld Art 11

11. Res. Div 6. Res. Korps [?]“

 

More info about the Dechen cave: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dechen_Cave

(https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dechenh%C3%B6hle).

I was surprised to read that this type of trips that I did with school in the 1970ies, were already done in 1915.

 

Christine

 

Source of the card:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/AK-1-WK-Soldatenfriedhof-Nantillois-Frankreich-1915-/252545912866?rmvSB=true&clk_rvr_id=1137949920894&nma=true&si=e%252FOALZdrj%252F8ARyN07DrmUznuG8c%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

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On 9-12-2016 at 17:48, AliceF said:

 

I think this may be Ardon-sous-Laon, I have some cards from that cemetery for sale as well on delcampe... The graves from Ardon were moved to laon "Champ de Manoeuvre" after the war.

 

Jan

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Jan, thanks a lot. Fantastic that you were able to locate the place!

 

Here a cemetery-Christmas card. Well, the content brings me and google translate to our limits (sorry for that):

 

“Ableincourt, 19th of December 1915

Dear Priest!

I have received your worthy [???] Christmas parcel and further [?] Sunday papers (Holy Night on the Guard). Thank you very much for this. Thank God I am still all right and healthy. I wish you and your dear family and the entire church community healthy [?] holidays and a happy New Year with xxx peace.

Yours sincerely Heinr. Riessner [?]“

 

On the picture: „Cemetery near the front“

 

„Ableincourt, 19. Dez. 1915

Sehr geehrter H. Pfarrer! Habe Ihr

wertes Weihnachtspaket u. weitre [?]

Sonntagsblätter (Heilige Nacht a. f. Wacht) er-

halten. Ich danke Ihnen herzl. dafür. Gott

Lob & Dank geht es mir soweit gut u. freue

mir [?] auch voller Gesundheit. Ihnen mit

werter Familie u. der ganzen Kirchengemeinde

gesunde Feiertage wünschend und zugl.

glückl. gesegnetes Neujahr mit xxx Frieden [?]

Grüßt ergebenst Heinr. Riessner [?]“

 

Vorderseite: „Friedhof in vorderster Linie“

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,278100806,var,ABLAINCOURT-CIMETIERE-ALLEMAND-CARTE-PHOTO-ALLEMANDE,language,E.html

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I have actually been collecting photographs of German war memorials but cemetery photo's often surface during searches. Her is an example from 1915 taken near Rheims. will dig some more out when I get a minute.

german cemetery bethenville rheims.PNG

german cem bethanville rheims.PNG

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Thanks for posting your card! I can not read all of it, but hope that I got most of it right.

What I do not get is that the card was stamped at the 30th of June, but it was written the 4th of July. Have not seen this before. The postmark itself might be unusual as well.

 

The card was sent to:

„Frau

Christine Quedenfeld

Wernigerode

Oberpfarrkichhof 8

a/Harz“

 

“4th of July 1915

Dear all

Thank you very much for your dear letter from the 2/7. I have received the letter and the note [?] from the xxx, but have had no opportunity yet. I have already asked several times somebody, but they do not know each other at all. If xxx [name?] want to send a wreath, I can gladly get one here for the grave of their son, otherwise it will only take time on its way from there to here. Otherwise I'm fine and send you best regards to you and all friends

your father”

 

 

„Den 4/7 1915

Ihr Lieben

Besten Dank für Deinen lieben

Brief vom 2/7. Den Brief und den

Zettel [?] vom xxx habe ich erhalten, hatte aber

noch keine Gelegenheit xxx gefragt habe

ich ja schon öfter jemand, aber die kennen

sich gar nicht untereinander. Wenn xxx [Name?]

einen Kranz schicken wollen, will ich denselben

gern hier besorgen zum Grab ihres Sohnes

er bleibt blos [?] ein bischen lange unter-

wegs von dort bis hierher. Sonst

geht es mir gut und bleibe mit den

besten Grüßen an Euch und allen

Bekannten Euer Vater“

 

Christine

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"Afield 18.3.16

Beloved aunt!

To your namesday tomorrow, I send you my most cordial congratulations and blessings!

May God xxxx give you the freshness of health, so that we after peace settlement – in near future - can happily meet again. We are back in the old place. Here is a partial view of the cemetery established [?] behind the emplacement, where our heroes rest in peace despite the thunder of cannons. Also members of our company [?] rest in this fenced grave. May God have been a merciful judge to them. "

 

Right:

"Goodbye! Card received "

 Upside down:

"Still well!"

 Left:

"Best regards and kiss to you and my

dear sister      Carl "

 

Sent to:

Ehrwürdige Schwester

Marie Josephine

Kloster „Unserer lb. Frau“

Straßburg /E.

Bergherrngasse 3

 

”Im Felde 18.3.16

Inniggeliebte Tante!

Zum morgigen Namensfeste

entbiete ich Ihnen meine herzlich-

sten Glück- und Segenswünsche!

Möge der lb. Gott Ihnen die Frische

der Gesundheit xxx geben

auf daß wir nach Friedens-

schluss – recht[?] balde – uns freu-

digst begrüßen können. Wir

sind wieder am alten Platz.

Anbei eine Teilansicht des hin-

ter der Stellung errichteten [?]

Ehrenfriedhofs, wo unsere

Helden in Frieden trotz Ka-

nonendonner ruhen. In die-

sem umrahmten Grabe

ruhen auch Angehörige uns-

erer Comp. [?]. Gott möge ihnen

ein gnädiger Richter gewesen sein.“

 

Quer rechts:

„Auf frohes Wiedersehen! Karte erhalten“

 Auf dem Kopf:

„Geht noch gut!“

 Quer links:

„Herzlichsten Gruß und Kuß an Sie u. meine

lb. Schwester     Carl“

 

Christine

Source of the card: http://www.delcampe.net/page/item/id,303188120,var,Cimetiegrave;re-militaire-allemand-Argonne-Feldpoststation-Nr-124-Mars-1916,language,E.html

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  • 2 weeks later...

“Monday, July 26th

Dear Marie,

I have received today your letter from July 24th, write me how things went with xxx xxx.

Today we are going to the trenches again.

Otherwise no news today.

Greetings to you dear xxx

Your xxx [Hannes?] "

 

Sender:

Joh. Arras RIR 4/81

 

„Montag, den 26. Juli

Liebe Marie,

Deinen Brief vom 24. Juli

heute erhalten schreibe mir wie

es mit xxx xxx gegangen

ist. Heute geht es wieder in [den?]

Schützengraben. Sonst für heut

nichts neues. Es grüßt xxx [euch?]

meine lieben xxx

Dein xxx [Hannes?]“

 

A Johannes Arras in RIR 81 4th. Comp. is mentioned once in the Verlustenliste in 1915, before this card was written

http://des.genealogy.net/search/show/1511213

 

Christine

 

Source of the card: https://www.delcampe.net/fr/collections/cartes-postales/france-autres-communes-1/chermizy-aisne-soldatenfriedhof-illustration-du-cimetiere-militaire-allemand-guerre-14-18-avec-poeme-patriotique-405833642.html

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„7.4.17

 Dear Schosch,

I would like to write to you, dear Sch., some lines as well, but it is still not easy.

This is a remembrance of the resting place of all the comrades, who die here in the field hospital.

Could also be _______.

Yet, I hope to God that – even if I am ill – I may see you again.

With many regards

Your Georg"

 

„Den 7.4.17

 Lieber Schosch!

 Möchte dir l.[ieber] Sch.[osch] auch einige

Zeilen schreiben, geht mir je-

noch [jedoch?] nicht leicht, das ist ein

Andenken von der letzten

Ruhestätte all der Kameraden

die hier im Lazarett sterben

könnte auch die ____ sein

hoffe doch zum Herrn, daß ich

wenn auch krank Euch doch

wieder sehen darf.

 Es grüßt dich vielmals

Dein Georg“

 

Schorsch is a nickname for Georg, I assume Schosch, too.

 

Christine

 

Source of the card:

http://www.ebay.de/itm/122265444755?clk_rvr_id=1156708048395&rmvSB=true

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Never knew about the Scho(r)st spitz'name before! More excellent and illuminating work there Christine!

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Thanks, Julian! Well, I think this was the first card, I have read, where the sender almost explicit mentions that he might die and be buried in the cemetery shown on the card. Otherwise this has never been written explicitly . But even here the sender makes a line instead of writing the word "mine" - at least it was like that I interpreted it.

 

Christine

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bonjour de la Somme,

Here are 4 from my own collection, they all are in the East of the Somme (Roye, Montdidier, Moreuil). You can see them here :

https://somme18.com/1919-2/cimetieres-provisoires/

Nothing at the back - except for Hangest . 3 German, the only French is Arvillers

If somebody had pictures (cards or other of provisory British cemeteries), I would be interested !

kind regards, martine

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Hi Martine, 

thanks for your comment and the link with your cards!

Have no cards of provisory British cemeteries myself, though.

Anything interesting written on the back of the card from  Hangest?

Christine

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On 1/23/2017 at 17:22, mva said:

... Here are 4 from my own collection, they all are in the East of the Somme (Roye, Montdidier, Moreuil). You can see them here :

https://somme18.com/1919-2/cimetieres-provisoires/

 

There is one Hans Kraus - the pen-and-ink card - on Gräbersuche on line, but his Todes-/Vermisstendatum (08.11.14) is different from the card, which has 28.09.14

 

Hans Kraus ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in St.-Mihiel.

Endgrablage: Kameradengrab

Nachname: Kraus

Vorname: Hans

Dienstgrad: Infanterist

Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 08.11.1914

Todes-/Vermisstenort: b. Buxieres

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12 hours ago, AliceF said:

Hi Martine, 

thanks for your comment and the link with your cards!

Have no cards of provisory British cemeteries myself, though.

Anything interesting written on the back of the card from  Hangest?

Christine

on the back is only : Soldatenfriedhof in Hangest

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1 hour ago, trajan said:

 

There is one Hans Kraus - the pen-and-ink card - on Gräbersuche on line, but his Todes-/Vermisstendatum (08.11.14) is different from the card, which has 28.09.14

 

Hans Kraus ruht auf der Kriegsgräberstätte in St.-Mihiel.

Endgrablage: Kameradengrab

Nachname: Kraus

Vorname: Hans

Dienstgrad: Infanterist

Todes-/Vermisstendatum: 08.11.1914

Todes-/Vermisstenort: b. Buxieres

Verlustliste : http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/2014/frankfurt-am-main-hoechst_hoechster-kreisblatt_todesanzeigen_main-taunus-kreis_wk1_aug-dez_1914_hs.html

I don't think it is the same Hans Kraus you mentionned, because St Mihiel is too far away from his 1st grave : Champien & Villers les Roye are in the Somme (East of the Somme, Roye). I think his body was lost after 4 years of war (and there was heavy fighting in the East of the Somme in 1918). The 'Todes-/Vermisstenort is not the same either

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41 minutes ago, mva said:

 

Yes, you are right. The DOD made me wonder if it was the same person but I had no idea of the distance between where 'my' man fell and this one on the card was buried.

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